Darren Bent looks to Martin Jol to end nightmare

FULHAM are ready to rescue striker Darren Bent from his Aston Villa nightmare with a £4million move.

The Cottagers, who have already signed three players this week, have placed a bid for the former England striker, and next week expect to complete the signing of Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg in a £2m deal.

Bent has been told he is free to find a new club by Villa boss Paul Lambert, and the Midlands side are now ready to make a big loss on a player they originally signed for £24m.

Bent barely figured in the side under Lambert last season as new boy Christian Benteke shone, and now Fulham and West Ham are both chasing the Londoner.

Craven Cottage manager Martin Jol knows Bent from their brief spell together at Tottenham and that might give the Dutchman an advantage, but Fulham will definitely try to bargain Villa down below £5m.

Dutch keeper Stekelenburg has been in Jol’s sights for some time, and a deal is expected to be agreed early next week.

And Fulham have already signed defenders Sascha Riether and Fernando Amorebieta as well as midfielder Derek Boateng.

Lambert has warned Benteke it is time to take a “reality check” following claims from the in-demand striker that he is open to a summer exit.

Tottenham, Manchester City, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are all keen on the 23-goal striker, who has just enjoyed a stunning first season in England.

The £20,000-a-week star has been offered a bumper pay rise to ward off the suitors despite still having three years remaining on his current deal.

However, the Belgium international has plunged his future into fresh doubt after claiming that he “will not necessarily accept” staying with Villa next season.

Those comments have not gone down well with Lambert, who insists the 22-year-old still has to prove he is not a one-season wonder.

The manager said: “Christian has got three years here at Aston Villa and the club have always come first.

I do not in any way want to feel I didn’t get the most out of my career

Benteke

“He has had one of those seasons where he has never really been injured and he has never been suspended except for the last day. But he has got to remember that he’s only 22 and has so much to learn.

“He’s only a kid starting out and he’s going to have ups and downs like everybody else.

“Once Christian starts to play 400 or even 500 matches then supporters might think, ‘Yeah, he’s a good player’. Sometimes people have got to have a reality check here. This lad has only been in Britain for 10 months.

“He is enjoying real status with us at Aston Villa and everybody here loves the way that he plays his football.”

Villa paid Genk £8m for Benteke last year but are adamant they would not part with him for even triple that following his exploits from that first Premier-League season.

But Benteke, speaking while on international duty, said: “If Aston Villa say I must stay, I won’t necessarily accept that.

“I do not in any way want to feel I didn’t get the most out of my career. I try to get everything. Of course, playing the World Cup in Rio is in my head. But I have no fear of falling out of the team.

“There is no point in me getting into a tug-of-war with Villa. If the chance comes up for me to join a club like Arsenal, I’m convinced we can reach a compromise where everyone comes out a winner.”

Benteke is now set for showdown talks with his club when he returns to Europe following Belgium’s friendly against the USA on May 29.

That is a warm-up for their World Cup qualifier against Serbia on Friday, June 7.

But there is expected to be time between those matches for Benteke to break off for discussions which would clear the air one way or another.